Time control apparatus



F. H. OWENS TIME CONTROL APPARATUS Feb. 18, 1947.

Filed Feb. 1, 1944 a Sheets-Sheet 1 Feb. 18, 1947. QW ENS 2,415,843

. TIME CONTROL APPARATUS I Filed Febv l, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 18, 1947. F. H. OWENS 5,8 3

TIME CONTROL APPARATUS Filed Feb. 1, 1944 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Feb. 18, 1947 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TIME CONTROL APPARATUS Freeman H. Owens, New York, N. Y.

Appiication February 1, 1944, Serial No. 520,693

20 Claims.

The invention herein disclosed relates to radio program and other forms of time control apparatus and is a continuation-in-part of inventions disclosed in copending patent applications Ser. Nos. 450,449 filed July 10, 1942, 465,155 filed Nov. 10, 1942, 466,698 filed Nov. 23, 1942, and 515,853 filed Dec. 27, 1943.

Objects of the invention are to provide accurate, reliable time control mechanism of simple, practical, inexpensive construction and made up of parts readily manufactured and easily assembled.

Particularly, it is an object of the invention to provide a time control, which will require but small power to operate it, such as that furnished by synchronous clock motors.

Other de irable objects attained by the invention will appear in the course of the following specification.

The novel features and combinations through which. the purposes of the invention are attained are set forth in the following specification, broadly covered in the claims and illustrated by way of practical example in the accompanying drawings. Actual physical structure may be modified and changed in various ways all within the true spirit and bros... scope of the invention and for that reason, the illustrated form is to be considered primarily for purposes of disclosure and not necessarily by way of limitation, the actual scope of the invention being as hereinafter broadly defined and claimed.

Fig. l in the drawings is a front elevation of a form of the apparatus particularly suited for the control of radio programs and the like.

Fig. 2 is a broken horizontal sectional view taken on substantially the plane of line 2--2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. a broken vertical sectional view, on a larger scale on substantially the plane of line 33 of Fig. 1.

4 and 5 are vertical sectional views on substantially the planes of lines 4-4 and 5-5 respectively of Fig. 3.

6 is a detail view of the holding dog for preventing the reverse rotation of the time train.

Fig. '7 is a broken sectional detail on substantially the plane of line l---! of Fig. 5.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated, comprises a front panel Hi, having a window H, through which appear the time designations on the ll. dial 2, and the minute dial I3. The .e dial makes one complete revolution for iour movement of the hour dial. The latter inc/tad of having two sets of 12 hour markings, as shown, may have a single continuous 24 hour set of markings.

The sectional views Figs. 2 and 3, show the inner, minute dial l3, as carried by the shaft M, which carries the rotor l5, of the synchronous clock motor l5. On this same shaft is a pinion I1,

in mesh with ear [3, carrying pinion I9, in mesh with the gear 2!], which, at the front carries the hour dial [2.

The reduction gear couple i8, i9, is shown in Fig. 3 as supported on a pivot stud 2 I, mounted on the transverse partition wall 22, of the casing 23, but the other rotating parts are all shown mounted on antifriction ball bearings made up of outer stationary race rings 2d, 25, supporting the two rows of balls 26, 21, and inner race rings 28, 29, and the latter supporting the two end rows of balls 33, 3!, carrying the center or rotor shaft M.

This construction is readily assembled by making the parts in halves which can be put together from opposite sides of the supporting partition 22. Thus the outer race rings 24, 25, are shown as complemental halves which can be entered, from opposite sides, into a circular supporting seat 32, in the partition 22, and the inner race rings 23, 29, are shown as complemental halves inserted through the bearing rings 24, 25, and interlocked at their inner ends by meeting jaw clutch teeth represented at 33. When putting the latter parts together, the two rows of ball elements 26, 21, will be inserted and the bearing elements may finally be all locked together, after the center shaft and the two rows of balls 39 and 3!, are located, by upsetting the end of the shaft as indicated at 34, to in effect rivet the parts together. The two shouldered portions 35, 35, formin the inner races for the balls 30 and 3!, provide stops for a spacing washer 31, back of the minute dial I 3, and a spacing washer 38, back of the pinion ll, and rotor l5, the shaft being upset at this end at 39, similar to the end as.

The inner race rings 28, 29, are shown made up as duplicate parts, each formed with gear teeth at the periphery so that either may be used for the gear 29, the one not actually so serving having the hour dial affixed thereto, as by screw or other fastenings 4D, welding or the like.

Suitable means may be provided for setting the clock, such as a projecting knob on the front end of the minute shaft or special gearing having a setting knob accessible for instance, at the back or side of the instrument case. In any event, means are preferably provided for preventing turning the clock backward, such as the ratchet disc 4|, shown fixed on the minute shaft and engaged by the holding dog or pawl 52, tensioned by the spring 43.

The ratchet disc 4|, is utilized in the present disclosure as a carrier for the four contact rollers or studs 44, spaced equidistantly on the back of the disc in position to engage and for an instant connect the two contact points 45, 56, at successive 15 minute intervals. These two contact pins are shown carried by an insulating rocker ll, pivoted on the pawl supporting stud 48, and held by 3 a spring 19, yieldingly positioned against a stop E3.

This construction provides a particularly simple, reliable and accurate timing switch for closing a desired control circuit at the end of each minute interval, the usual broadcast period. The traveling contacts lit. may be pivotally mounted on their supporting studs 5%, so that they will actually roll into and out of bridging engagement with the relatively stationary contacts 45, 38, or they may simply have an oversliding momentary bridging engagement with the latter.

The actual distribution of control is effected in the illustration by the rotating spring brush 52, carried by an insulating support 53, pivoted on a stud on the back of the hour dial l2, and tensioned by a spring 55, to yieldingly connect the successive 15 minute time contacts 55, with a current supply ring 52. This spring brush is shown in Fig. 2, as bifurcated to provide terminal brush portions 58, 59, which may yield independently to firmly engage the time contacts and current supply ring respectively.

The time contacts 55, of which there may be 96 to cover a full hour period, are shown in the form of wires or rods disposed within the circular front portion 653, of the cabinet structure and anchored firmly in such relation by having their inner ends extended into the circular series of holes forming seats 6!, at the base of such circular wall and their outer portions bent angularly and extending out through notches 62, provided in the front edge of such annular front wall, These wires are furthermore shown secured in this relation by an insulating ring set within the notched edge portion of the annular wall, overstanding the angularly bent and radially projecting portions st, of the wires,

The contact securing ring E3 is further utilized,

in the present disclosure, as a carrier or support for the current supply ring 5?, and as a spacer for the front cover panel ill, which latter is shown held by the four corner screws 55.

The time contact wires 5t, may be extended to or have suitable connections extended therefrom to station selecting time switches, as disclosed, for example, in the copending patent applications above identified, or otherwise, depending on the particular use to which the invention is applied.

The time contacts 56, may be preformed, or they may be made up by simply inserting the ends of suitable wires in the seats 5! and then bending them out in the notches 552, in the circular insulating support (it. In any event, after so locating these time contacts, they may all be secured by simply slipping the. ring 63, into the internally shouldered outer end portion 66, of the support, over the outwardly angled parts 6d, and then fastening it as by means of the overstanding cover it, and screws 55.

The entire control mechanism, including the accurate timing switch and rotary distributor may be built upon as indicated, as a single complete unit, ready to go into a radio cabinet or other structure or it may be otherwise combined with the radio or other apparatus which it is to control. Electric circuits arenot shown, since these may vary so widely. In typical cases, as disclosed in the patent applications identified, the distributor brush will operate to snap from one 15 minute time contact to the next, at some appreciable time before the end of the 15 minute or other specified interval, thus to set up or prepare the circuit which it is desired to complete at the end of the particular period and the timing switch will then act to complete the circuit so set up at or substantially the exact instant terminating that interval.

The disposition of the four roller contacts 44, on the large diameter ratchet disc making one revolution per hour, gives these rollers a wide or flat arc of travel and a smooth easy engagement first with one and then the second of the two contacts E5 and it. The ratchet holding pawl 42, which is mounted on the same center and is shown as arched about the contact carrying rocker a1, is indicated as cutaway across the back as at 67, to avoid any interference between these parts.

The two spaced contacts and the four rotating contacts turn on parallel axes and meet on four lines of engagement at the instant when the two arcs of travel intersect. This instant of engagement is therefore very accurately timed and while momentary in extent, is long enough to effect actuation of an electromagnet, relay or other device. After making this engagement, the bridging contact l4, simply rides on over the second contact 36, rocking the yielding support d'l',

back on its pivot in the continuance of the circular arc of travel. The setting of the clock to the proper time may be accomplished, for example, by turning the ratchet disc and in the illustration, a knob for effecting that result is indicated at 68, Fig. l. The pawl 42, then prevents turning the disc backward and protects the timer switch against any injury that might result from reverse rotation of the parts.

In the present illustration, an additional timing switch is indicated in'Figs. 5 and 7, comprising a rocker 59, carrying contacts Ill, for bridging engagement by the roller 44 which is diametrically opposite the roller operating the first switch rocker 4?.

To effect this delay timing, the switch rocker 69, is shown mounted on a pivot pin ll, forming an eccentric extension of the stud 72, mounted for rotatable adjustment in the partition wall 22. This stud is shown as having a flange l3, bearing against the face of the partition and held in adjusted position by a clamp plate 74, secured by nuts 75, on the ends of the screws 1%, Tl. The inner end of one of the screws 75, may be so located as to constitute a stop for the lug extension 58, of the rocker, thus to limit the swinging movement of the rocker toward the actuating roll @4. The forward end of the pivot stud I2, is shown as slotted at 19, to take the end of a screw driver or other tool that might be employed for rotating the stud to time the action of this switch, that is, to advance or to retard the action of this switch in respect to the first timing switch 41.

What is claimed is:

1. In a device of the character disclosed, concentrically mounted inner and outer time dials, a clock motor and driving connections therefrom for operating said time dials at different speeds, a distributor brush carried by one of said dials, time contacts grouped about the center of said dial for engagement by said brush, a current supply ring concentrically mounted about said dial at the side of said time contacts and said brush having portions for engagement with both said current supply ring and said time contacts.

2. In a device of the character disclosed, concentrically mounted inner and outer time dials,

a clock motor and driving connections therefrom for operating said time dials at different speeds, a distributor brush carried by one of said dials, time contacts grouped about the center of said dial for engagement by said brush, said distributor brush being carried by the slower moving time dial, a contactor carried by the faster moving dial and relatively stationary contact means for engagement by said contactor.

3. Apparatus of the character disclosed, comprising a support having a passage therethrough, outer race rings seated in said passage from opposite ends of the same, inner race rings entered into coupled engagement within said outer race rings, a shaft extending through said inner race rings, bearing roller elements entered between the outer and inner race rings and between the inner race rings and said shaft, stops on said shaft confining said parts in assembled relation, a clock motor connected to drive said shaft and drive gearing from said shaft to said inner race rings.

4. Apparatus of the character disclosed, comprising a support having a passage therethrough, outer race rings seated in said passage from opposite pnds of the same, inner race rings entered into coupled engagement within said outer race rings, a shaft extending through said inner race rings, bearing roller elements entered between the outer and inner race rings and between the inner race rings and said shaft, stops on said shaft confining said parts in assembled relation, a clock motor connected to drive said shaft and drive gearing from said shaft to said inner race rings and timing means operated by said shaft and rotating inner race rings.

5. Apparatus of the character disclosed, comprising a support having a passage therethrough, outer race rings seated in said passage from opposite ends of the same, inner race rings entered into coupled engagement within said outer race rings, a shaft extending through said inner race rings, bearing roller elements entered between the outer and inner race rings and between the inner race rings and said shaft, stops on said shaft confining said parts in assembled relation, a clock motor connected to drive said shaft and drive gearing from said shaft to said inner race rings, companion time dials carried by said shaft and rotating race ring at one end and switch means actuated by said shaft at the opposite end of the same.

6. In combination, a support having a passage therethrough, outer race rings seated in said passage at the opposite ends of the same, inner race rings entered within said outer race rings, a shaft extending through said inner race rings, bearing roller elem nts disposed between the outer and inner race rings and between the inner race rings and shaft, a motor connected to drive said shaft, reduction drive gearing from said shaft to said inner race rings and companion time dials carried said shaft and inner race rings. 7

'7. In combination, a time clock, a rotating distributor brush operated thereby, a concentrically disposed annular support about said brush, said support having a series of circularly spaced openings and notches spaced in line with said openings, contact wires entered in said openings and thereby located in circularly spaced relation for sequential engagement by said brush, said contact wires having angled portions engaged in said notches and holding means engaging said angled portions to thereby secure all of said contact wires.

8. In combination, a time clock, a rotating distributor brush operated thereby, a concentrically disposed annular support about said brush, said support having a series of circularly spaced openings and notches spaced in line with said openings, contact wires entered in said openings and thereby located in circularly spaced relation for sequential engagement by said brush, said contact wires having angled portions engaged in said notches, holding means engaging said angled portions to thereby secure all of said contact wires, said holding means including an insulating ring seated in the notched portion of said annular support over said angularly pro jecting portions of said wires, a time indicating dial driven by said time clock, said dial carrying time indications on the face of the same and mounted concentrically at the front of said annular support, a clock face plate secured over said time dial and having a window for exposing the time indications on said dial, said clock face plate engaging the holding ring to secure the same in position on the annular support and the distributor brush being mounted on the back of said rotating time dial and thereb positioned for engagement with said circularly spaced contact wires.

9. In combination, a time clock, a rotating distributor brush operated thereby, a concentrically disposed annular support about said brush, said support having a series of circularly spaced openings and notches spaced in line with said open ings, contact wires entered in said openings and thereby located in circularly spaced relation for sequential engagement by said brush, said contact wires having angled portions engaged in said notches, holding means engaging said angled portions to thereby secure all of said contact wires, said holding means including an insulating ring seated in the notched portion of said annular support over said angularly projecting portions of said wires, a current supply ring supported within said insulating ring and said rotating distributor brush having yielding portions engaging said current supply ring and successive contact wires.

10. Apparatus of the character disclosed, comprising a casing having a partition, concentrically disposed ball bearings mounted one within the other in said partition, a shaft journalled in the inner ball bearing, a time clock at the back of the partition connected to drive said shaft, a hub journalled in the outer ball bearing, reduc drive gearing from said shaft to said hub, companion time dial elements carried by said shaft and hub at the front of the partition, a distributor element'carried by said hub at the front of said partition in back of said time dial elements and a timer switch element carried by said shaft at the back of the partition.

11. In combination, a motor driven rotary carrier, at projecting contact stud carried by said rotary carrier, a rocker pivotally mounted at one side of the arc of travel of said contact stud, switch contacts supported in relatively insulated relation on said rocker and arranged in the arc of travel of said contact stud and spaced apart a distance to be momentarily bridged by said contact stud in the travel of said stud past said rocker and means yieldingly urging said pivoted rocker toward said travelling contact stud.

12. In combination, a motor driven rotary carrier, a projecting contact stud carried by said rotary carrier, a rocker pivotally mounted at one side of the arc of travel of said contact stud, switch contacts supported in relatively insulated relation on said rocker and arranged in the arc of travel of said contact stud and spaced apart a distance to be momentarily bridged by said contact stud in the travel of said stud past said rocker and means yieldingly urging said pivoted rocker toward said travelling contact stud, the pivotal mounting for said rocker comprising a rotatably adjustable eccentric support for shifting the pivotal center of the rocker into different relations with the arc of travel of said contact stud,

13. In combination, a motor driven rotary carrier, a projecting contact stud carried by said rotary carrier, a rocker pivotally mounted at one side of the arc of travel of said contact stud, switch contacts supported in relatively insulated relation on said rocker and arranged in the arc of travel of said contact stud and spaced apart a distance to be momentarily bridged by said contact stud in the travel of said stud past said rocker and means yieldingly urging said pivoted rocker toward said travelling contact stud, said contact stud being in the form of a roller arranged tc rotatably engage first one and then the other of said spaced switch contacts on the rocker.

14. In combination, a motor driven rotary carrier, projecting contact studs in equally spaced relation on said carrier, a rocker pivotally mounted on a center at one side of the arc of travel of said contact studs, relatively insulated switch contacts on said rocker spaced in the direction of travel of said contact studs in position to be momentarily bridged by said contact studs in the rotary travel of the same and means yieldingly urging said rocker toward said travelling contact studs.

15. In combination, a motor driven rotary carrier, projecting contact studs in spaced relation on said rotary carrier, a plurality of rockers pivotally mounted in spaced relation at one side of the arc of travel of said contact studs, relatively insulated switch contacts on said rockers spaced in the direction of travel of said contact studs and arranged to be momentarily bridged by said studs in the rotary travel of the same and means yieldingly holding said rockers in predetermined definite position for the bridging of the switch contacts thereon by said studs at predetermined fixed positions of rotation of said carrier.

16. In combination, a motor driven rotary carrier, projecting contact studs in spaced relation on said rotary carrier, a plurality of rockers pivotally mounted in spaced relation at one side of the arc of travel of said contact studs, relatively insulated switch contacts on said rockers spaced in the direction of travel of said contact studs and arranged to be momentarily bridged by said studs in the rotary travel of the same, and means for variably predetermining the time of engagement of the contacts of one rocker by one of the contact studs in relation to the time of engagement of the contacts of one of the other rockers by one of the other contact studs, including a movable support for said one rocker adjustable to shift the position of said rocker for accomplishing operation of the same at an earlier or later point in the cycle of rotation of said carrier.

17. In combination, a support, a stationary outer ball race mounted on said support, an inner ball race rotatable concentrically within said stationary outer ball race, a shaft rotatable concentrically Within said rotary inner ball race, ball elements rotatably engaged between said stationary outer ball race and rotary inner ball race, ball elements rotatably engaged between said rotary inner ball race and shaft, a motor connected to drive said shaft, reduction drive gearing from said shaft to said rotary inner ball race and time indicating elements carried by said shaft and rotary inner ball race, respectively.

18. In combination, a support, a stationary outer ball race mounted on said support, an inner ball race rotatably disposed within said stationary outer ball race and having gear teeth at one end of the same, a shaft rotatable concentrically within said rotary inner ball race, ball elements rotatably engaged between said stationary outer ball race and said rotary inner ball race, ball elements rotatably engaged between said inner ball race and said shaft, connecting gearing from said shaft to said gear teeth on the rotary inner ball race and time elements respectively carried by said rotary shaft and rotary inner ball race.

19. In combination, a support, outer race rings mounted on said support, inner race rings entered within said outer race rings and having companion engaging shoulders at the inner ends of the same coupling them together for rotation as a unit, a shaft extending through said coupled inner race rings, bearing roller elements disposed between the outer and inner race rings and be tween the inner race rings and shaft, a gear toothed flange on one of the inner race rings, connecting gearing between said shaft and gear toothed flange and time elements carried by said shaft and inner race rings, respectively.

20. In combination, a support, a stationary outer ball race mounted on said support, companion inner race rings entered through opposite ends of said outer ball race and connected together at their inner ends for rotation as a unit, a gear on the outer end of one of said race rings for engagement with other gearing, a shaft extending through said connected inner race rings and bearing balls disposed between said stationary outer ball race and rotary inner race rings and. between said inner race rings and shaft.

FREEMAN H. OWENS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,298,353 Kish Mar. 25, 1919 1,513,582 Comfort Oct. 28, 1924 1,950,647 Bailer Mar. 13, 1934 1,997,570 Baldwin Apr. 16, 1935 2,240,499 Elliott May 6, 1941 2,302,626 Gallagher Nov. 17, 1942 1,584,737 Daniel May 18, 1926 2,313,065 I-Ialloran Mar. 9, 1943 2,281,888 Snyder May 3, 1942 2,274,371 Kucera Feb. 24, 1942 

